Louisville should outperform the national economy in 2014, according to economists with the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

Charles Gascon, regional economist and senior research support coordinator with the St. Louis Fed, highlighted Louisville’s economic expectations for the rest of the year at a Regional Economic Briefing Wednesday morning.

Economists expect the national Gross Domestic Product to grow 3 percent this year, and if that pans out, Gascon believes Louisville’s job growth will outpace national job growth.

Louisville could add 12,000 jobs in 2014, he said, which would represent a growth rate of 1.9 percent over 2013.

Nationally, job growth is projected at 1.6 percent, according to forecasts presented by Federal Reserve economists.

However, Louisville’s current unemployment rate of about 7.5 percent remains substantially higher than its pre-recession level of about 5 percent in 2007.

Gascon said that is partly explained by population growth of about 1 percent annually over the six-year period.

While Louisville’s economic activity index, which consists of 16 regional indicators, has seen steeper ups and downs, its average is higher than the national rate.

From 2010 to 2013, Louisville’s economy grew an average of 3 percent, compared with 2.3 percent for the U.S.

Those figures also lead economists to believe Louisville could outperform the nation.

Gascon said more businesses are optimistic, as well.

From December to March, the percentage of the Fed’s business contacts who said the economy will be better or somewhat better in 2014 grew from 46 percent during the previous survey to 56 percent.